Rye’s Mayor-making ceremony, usually held on the Mayday Bank Holiday Monday but put back because of the General Election, will be held instead next Monday, May 18 at 6:30 pm followed by the traditional ‘Throwing of the Hot Pennies” from the Town Hall windows at about 7:15 pm. The newly elected councillors will be wearing their traditional robes, white gloves and hats. Female councillors wear tricorn hats with three sides, the men wear bicorns, and there will be macebearers and others in historic costumes.
Brand new councillors were introduced to the Town Hall on Wednesday after the Neighbourhood Panel discussed various policing issues including speeding problems and under age children smoking – though it is hard for the police to tell children’s ages if they are not in uniform, the panel heard.
Rubbish Changes
An an early issue for the new council may be an old problem – rubbish. Rother is changing the rubbish and recycling collection days from the end of this month. Waste contractor Kier says this will improve efficiency and Director Denzil Baldwin said : “we have given Rother District Council (RDC) firm assurances that any disruption will be minimised”. RDC manager Brenda Mason says the changes “may cause some confusion” but residents will be given as much notice as possible. The changes start from June 1 and residents are “asked to compress their recycling in their green bin during the changeover”. When the current waste arrangements were introduced last year, there was considerable confusion and disruption.
Road Closures
This Friday, May 15, waiting in The Grove is banned while emergency temporary classroom buildings are delivered to Rye College, says East Sussex County Council, and the lower part of Market Road will be closed June 9-11 with consequent diversions to allow UK Power Networks to connect up customers.